Certificate holder



Oct. 27, 1931. l.. l.. sHERwooD CERTIFICATE HOLDER Filed May 5, 1930 Patented Oct. 27, 1931 maar LESTER L. SHERWOOD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA CERTIFICATE HOLDER Application filed May 5,

My invention relates tok aholder for identification certificates and the like that are now generally required by state laws and city ordinances to be carried and displayed upon motor vehicles and the invention herein set forth is an improvement on the certifcate holder set forth in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,671,554, issued to me May 29th, 1928, also U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,771,658,

issued July 29, 1930.

The principal objects of my present invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the certificate holders disclosed in my aforesaid'patents as well as other similar types of certificate holders,

to provide a holder of the character referred to that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, capable of being easily and quickly applied to or removed from a part of a motor vehicle, for instance, the steering column and further, to provide a holder that will receive and display in convenient manner, a certificate that carries data relating to the motor vehicle so that said data may be readily' observedby traffic officers or other persons who may have occasion to ascertain the identity and license number of the operator or owner of the vehicle. Further objects of my invention are, to .30 provide a certificate holder having re-enforced edges so that it will lie snugly against the steering post or column to which it is applied, further, to construct the holder so that the certificate may be easily and quickly positioned therein or removed therefrom, to provide the holder with relatively simple'and efiicient means for securing the same on the steering column and further, to provide a certificate holder that presents a neat and finished appearance when properly positioned uponl the steering column orother part of the vehicle.

With the foregoing and other Vobjects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a certicate holder 50. constructed in accordance Vwith my inven- 1930. Serial No. 449,793.

tion and looking against the outer face thereof.

Fig. 2 is a View looking against the inner face of the holder with parts thereof broken away.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the steering post or column of a motor vehicle and showing my improved certicate holder in position thereupon.

Fig. 5 is a` detail view showing a modified construction wherein an elongated eyelet is provided for the reception of the attaching strap.

In the construction of my improved holderl the body thereof is formed from a single piece of soft flexible material such as leather, rubberized fabric or the like and the piece of material is cut, preferably by suitable dies 7.0 so as to form a substantially rectangular intermediate section 10 and a pair of substantially rectangular portions 11 that project from the sides of said intermediate portion 10. '1.5

The portion 10 functions as the front wall of the holder and the portions 11 serve as flaps that are folded against the rear face of the front wall. The width of each flap 11 is slightly less than one-half the width of the front wall member 10 so that when the folder is in flat condition with a certificate positioned between front wall member 10 and the flaps 11, the inner edges of said members 11 are spaced apart, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The length of front wall member is slightly greater than the length of the fiaps 11 so that when the holder is positioned on an automobile steering column or the like, the extended ends of said front wall member overlie the ends of the flaps 11 and consequently impart to the ends of the complete structure a neat and finished appearance.

Formed in the center of the member 10 is an opening 12, preferably oval in shape, and applied to the inner face of said member 10, so as to cover said opening, is a sheet 13 of thin flexible transparent material such as Celluloid and which is secured to member 10 in any suitable manner, preferably by a Windovv whereby certain data printed or Written upon the face of the certificate may be f readily observed When the'holder is secured Y ner, 'preferably by means of small tubularl on a part lof the vehicle, for instance, the steering post. v

' To reenforce the sides ofthe body of the holder so as to cause thesame to lie flat upon the post when the holder'is positioned'for use, narrow strips of thin V,flexible or. resilient metal, for instance, aluminum are positioned between the members 10mandV 11 directly ad-V jacent to the lines Where the members 11 are folded'and these reenforcingstrips are securedto the members 11 in any suitable manrivets 16, 16 that pass through vthe ends of the strips and the adjacent portions ofv members'11.

Thesefastening devices 16 do not pass through the member 10 that forms theffrontv Wall of the holder and thus the greater portion ofk the front face of member 10 is left plane and smooth.l f

by' means of arsuit'able fasteningi device 18,

Y preferably av rivet Which passes throughthe inneripart of the buckle and-through the Ymembers 10 and' l1 and the interposed one of the strips 15.

Secured to the opposite edge of Vthe holder and passing through' the memberslO and 11 and the corresponding one ofthe strips V15 is the stud member 19 of standardform of snap fastener and which Istud member isv adapted to receive the socket member y20l of the tener and which latter-is seated in one-end of a short tongue or strap 21v of'leather-or other flexible material.

:sor

The buckle 17 and strap 21'constitute readily releasable means for securing the holder in position upon a steering kcolumna-and this strapH may .be readily disconnectedv from the buckle or the socket member 20l carried by said strap may be detached from stud vmember 19. -Y

In some instancesitmay be found desirable to arrange inV one edge of thebody ofthe holder an elongated eyelet 22-for the receptionrof one 'end of the vstrap andavhich lconstruction is illustrated in Fig. '5.'Y Y 'A i In the use'of my improved certificate holdler the certificate of thevehicle driver or owner is inserted'betvveen the members 10and 11 Vso that it occupies the yposition illustrated by dotted lines Afin I*`ig.2l and when so *positioned the name,.address and registered number ofthe vehicle and the driver or owner is positioned directly jbehindthev'opening 12 Y Where it may be readily observed.

" The, holder is now' applied to the steering g 65 column andas'said Ymember iscurved to correspond with the shape of said steering co1- umn the inner edges ofthe members 11 Will move toward each other so as to completely overlie the inner face of the certificate positioned in the holder, thereby serving as a complete protectionV 'for the certicate and firmly' clamping the sanieso as Vto retain it Within the holder. VAfter the holder has been thus fitted about the steering column the strap 21 isinserted through'buckle and after being dravvntaut'the buckle is secured and thus the holdervvith Vthel certificate enclosed very effective in performing the functionsfor i Y k which itis intended. Y A buckle 17 is secured to the central porvtion of the holderon onezside edge thereof` The holder when properly positionedl upon a steering column or the 'like presentsy a neat and pleasing appearance and the strapV which secures the holder in positionruponthe steer-@Q5 ing column maybe rreadily disengaged from either side of the holderin theevent that it is desired fofremove the holder for the purpose of'effecting an exchange of certificates.

" -It will be understood that minor changes-if' the spiritv of my invention, the scope 'of' which-2l isset -forth in the appended claims. I claim as my invention: n Y

In aN certificate holder. ay bodyformed from a single pieceof flexible material and comprising an intermediate portion in Whichelo is formed an opening and*k a pairV ofside por-l tions that'are foldedA againstthe rear face of the intermediate portion, a section of flexible transparent material overlying the opening Yin the intermediate' portion, reenforcingf strips of thin flat flexible material Vhaving theirends secured to the end portions ofthe 'folded'.side portionsand readily releasable means for connecting the sides of the vbody of the holder and securing the same in position upon a support. .v A Y Y 2. In a Certificateholder. a body formed from a single piece of flexible material and comprising an Aintermediate portion in Which is formed an opening and a pair of side porf tions-that` are folded against the rear face of the intermediate' portion, a section of flexible transparent material overlying the Yopening Vinfthe lintermediate' portiomreenforcing strips ofV thiniflat :flexible 'material havingv their ends secured to the end portions of the folded side portions and positioned between the sides of the front portion and the sides of said folded side portions, a strap and readily releasable means secured to the intermediate portions of the sides ofthe body of the holder and to the central portions of said reenforcing strips for connecting said strap to the sides of the body of the holder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LESTER L. SHERWOOD. 

